Vintage Ponting puts Tigers in box seat

Ricky Ponting's Sheffield Shield show rolls on, with the former Australian skipper cracking his third ton of the season for Tasmania on day one of their crucial clash with Victoria at Bellerive.

Ponting hit 14 fours in his 104, notching his hundred with a neat clip to the mid-wicket boundary and helping the home side to a strong 6-369 by stumps.

The 38-year-old put on 139 for the fifth wicket with Jonathan Wells (71no) as the Tigers recovered from 4-193.

Ponting, who quit international cricket in December but is yet to make a call on his future with Tasmania, tops the Shield run-scorers' list with 789 at an imperial 87.7.

His ton was the 80th of his first-class career and 27th for Tasmania in Shield cricket.

He survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance when on 73, a nasty blow to his left hand on 61 and a near-disastrous run-out howler from Wells to keep his eye on the one trophy missing from his cabinet - a title with the Tigers.

But his innings was full of class, with consecutive pull shots to the boundary off Bushrangers seamer Marcus Stoinis a throwback to his glory days.

He finally fell to a superb diving catch from Rob Quiney at gully off the bowling of John Hastings (1-72).

The Tigers' first dig was in the balance when they lost two wickets for one to be 4-193 after they had been 0-120.

Mark Cosgrove (81) and Jordan Silk (52) put on their century opening stand after Victoria had sent the Tigers in on a greenish wicket, a move that looked to have backfired.

The Bushrangers fought back with four wickets in the middle session but had few answers for Ponting and the in-form Wells.

Some late hitting from James Faulkner (30 from 15 balls) showed the home side's intention to apply the blowtorch to the Bushrangers as soon as possible with showers forecast for the weekend.

Tasmania realistically need an outright win to make the decider, while Victoria will all but ensure their place with first-innings points.

Ricky Ponting's Sheffield Shield show rolls on, with the former Australian skipper cracking his third ton of the season for Tasmania on day one of thier crucial clash with Victoria at Bellerive.

Ponting hit 14 fours in his 104, notching his hundred with a neat clip to the mid-wicket boundary and helping the home side to a strong 6-369 by stumps.

The 38-year-old put on 139 for the fifth wicket with Jonathan Wells (71no) as the Tigers recovered from 4-193.

Ponting, who quit international cricket in December but is yet to make a call on his future with Tasmania, tops the Shield run-scorers' list with 789 at an imperial 87.7.

His ton was the 80th of his first-class career and 27th for Tasmania in Shield cricket.

He survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance when on 73, a nasty blow to his left hand on 61 and a near-disastrous run-out howler from Wells to keep his eye on the one trophy missing from his cabinet - a title with the Tigers.

But his innings was full of class, with consecutive pull shots to the boundary off Bushrangers seamer Marcus Stoinis a throwback to his glory days.

He finally fell to a superb diving catch from Rob Quiney at gully off the bowling of John Hastings (1-72).

The Tigers' first dig was in the balance when they lost two wickets for one to be 4-193 after they had been 0-120.

Mark Cosgrove (81) and Jordan Silk (52) put on their century opening stand after Victoria had sent the Tigers in on a greenish wicket, a move that looked to have backfired.

The Bushrangers fought back with four wickets in the middle session but had few answers for Ponting and the in-form Wells.

Some late hitting from James Faulkner (30 from 15 balls) showed the home side's intention to apply the blowtorch to the Bushrangers as soon as possible with showers forecast for the weekend.

Tasmania realistically need an outright win to make the decider, while Victoria will all but ensure their place with first-innings points.